Big marathon names salute man of the moment, Kelvin Kiptum

Former marathon world record holders, legendary Paul Tergat and Patrick Makau have paid tribute to the newest record holder, Kelvin Kiptum.

The two former distance runners said that it won’t take long before someone runs a marathon under two hours after Kiptum’s exceptional run in Chicago where he shattered the marathon world record by 34 second.

Kiptum, 23, broke Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon world record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds set last year in Berlin when he won in Chicago in a blistering 2:00:35 on Sunday.

He is expected back in the country today.

Tergat said the beauty of world records is that they are set to be broken. He praised phenomenal Kiptum for his style and pose.

“The time of 2:00:35 is breathtaking and that is the bravery we want to continue seeing. Well done Kiptum,” said Tergat.

Tergat, now the National Olympic Committee of Kenya president said Kiptum’s achievement had underlined Kenya’s deep athletics talent.

“Nothing is impossible if we give our athletes the opportunity and exposure,” he said

Tergat made history by not only becoming the first Kenyan man to hold a marathon world record but also the first human in history to run a marathon under two hours and five minutes when he broke Moroccan born Khalid Khannouchi of United States of America time of 2:05:39 set in 2002 London with a superb 2:04:56 time in Berlin in 2003.

“It was like a dream of someone coming under 2:05 but I did it. It is now a reality that with the improved shoes technology, great pacesetting, the two-hour barrier will be broken soon. It won’t take years,” said Tergat.

Tergat, who also broke the half marathon world record thrice, noted that the fast times athletes are posting now can also be explained by their great focus, increased number of athletes’ managements and more races.

“We didn’t have many races during our times and it’s interesting that World Athletics is staging championship races in places like Latvia, Western Europe. It shows how athletics is growing,” said Tergat.

Impressive Kiptum has run three of the world’[s top five fastest marathon times in less than one year. He won in Valencia in December in 2:01:53, in London this year in 2:01:25 before the storming run in Chicago on Sunday.

Makau, who became the second Kenya to break the marathon world record when winning in Berlin 2011 in 2:03:38, said Kiptum becoming the first man to run under two hours and one minute had firmly put him in the history books.

“I take this opportunity to thank Kiptum for making history. 

His performance is an eye opener to our young and upcoming athletes that with the current technology all is possible,” said Makau.

Seven consecutive marathon records had fallen on the Berlin course before Kiptum struck in Chicago.

It was the first time a world record was being set in Chicago since Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi ran 2:05:42 on October 24, 1999.